Creating a target list is a great starting point when deciding on where to attend college. There are thousands of schools to choose from, and you can eliminate majority of them by creating a target list of schools based on what you want out of college. Using academics, athletics, and personal preferences as the backbone of your target list will help yield the best results.

It is important that you do some research on schools that are on your target list. A very small percentage of college athletes go on to play professionally, but they do go on to become professionals in some field. We recommend using Campus Tours to do your research.

What to look for when creating your target list:

-Location: Is it important for you to go to school close to home? If you are the type of person that doesn’t like to be away from home for a long period of time, than a school that isn’t within driving distance can be crossed off. Take into consideration weather elements too. Minnesota and Florida are polar opposites in weather. Weather might not be a huge factor, but if two schools both had offers out there it would be something to consider. Also consider travel and tuition costs. Out of state colleges typically cost more to attend than in-state colleges. Plus think about the money you’ll have to spend to get home, or if your parents want to travel to see you play.

-What is campus life like: All colleges have different characteristics and qualities that make them unique from other schools. Some schools are known more for academics or certain areas of studies, while others might be known for their diverse student body. Some schools focus on creating a comfortable social setting for students, and other institutions might be more concerned with religious values. When you go on your campus visits take time to observe how the campus life is. Talk with students to get a better understanding of the college.

-Large University or a smaller college: The size of a college should be heavily considered when creating your list. There is a big difference between schools that enroll 25,000 students as opposed to 2,500 students. The bigger universities tend to have classes with students of 300+. A smaller college will have class settings more like high school. At a smaller school you have more access to your professor if you need help in a certain subject. At large universities, professors are normally only available during certain hours of the day.

-Offer your major: This might not be a big deal to you unless you know exactly what you want to do after graduation. Most college students will switch their major before they graduate. If you are sold on studying Sports Management in college then make sure the school you choose has that major. If you are unsure on what you want to do when you are older, put some schools with a lot of options on your list.

-Academic Qualifications: Your grades will have a huge influence on where you will go to school. Every college has academic qualifications that incoming freshman must meet. Ivy League schools won’t even look at your applications if your GPA and SAT scores are below a certain level. Research the school’s academic qualifications before you place them on your target list. If your GPA is a 2.1 and SAT score is 700 don’t waste a bunch of time trying to qualify for schools with minimums of 3.5 GPA and 1200 SAT scores. There is nothing wrong applying for schools where your grades are on the border of being eligible, but make sure you apply to schools where your grades are not going to be an issue.

-Graduation rate: How well is that school in graduating athletes? Are they focused on making sure you stay eligible and earn your degree? College athletics will take up a lot of your time. You need to make sure the school that you choose cares as much as you do about graduating.

-Playing time: How important is playing time to you? If your skills project out to a low Division 1 and you insist on playing D1, than you might have to ride the bench for a few years. If you choose to go the Division 2 route you might get to play right away.

-What does the depth chart look like: You need to look at the current roster of the college recruiting you. You should find out how many players they have on their depth chart at your position. If they have a bunch of juniors and senior you’ll probably have a good shot at playing time within a year. Sometimes having stocked positions means recruits like to go there because of the coaching staff’s track record of turning out good players. Just don’t get caught in the situation of battling for playing time because of an overcrowded depth chart.

-How good are you: It is time for a reality check. It’s easy to assume you are D1 talent because your family tells you so. The problem with that is you might only be D3 material. Take a self-evaluation and consider where you think you can play. Do you know athletes in college with the same physical skills? Have you had your high school coach assess your skills? Have you received any awards that back up your play? Knowing what level that suits your abilities will help tremendously when formulating your list.

-Look at all levels: Be open to playing somewhere other than Division 1. There are some really good college players in other ranks besides Division 1. Not every athlete can go D1, and a matter of fact only a small fraction has the opportunity to. Include some schools from other levels to put on your target list. Recruiting can be a tricky game and it’s good to have plenty of options.

• Introduction
• When should you start your marketing campaign
• What sets you apart from other athletes
• How to create a target list
• When should you send out your athlete profile
• What strategies should you use to increase exposure